Scenic 3 info

A major upgrade to Scenic, Scenic 3, was released end of October 2021.

What’s the difference with Scenic 2?

Scenic 3 features new maps and a better routing algorithm, a refreshed look and feel, improvements to organizing of routes, rides and locations, improvements to navigation and later on in the year new functionalities will be added. Here are some screenshots

Will my routes, rides, locations stay like they are?

Yes. You keep your data. Nothing needs to be migrated or converted. The only moment when you’d want to double check something is when you want to navigate a route in Scenic 3, that was created with Scenic 2. Because of the different routing algorithm between the versions it’s theoretically possible that Scenic 3 takes different roads between two via points. In practice this will be rare though.

What happens to my purchases?

You keep them. You will keep all you purchases, including all offline map regions you purchased in the past, although you will need to download a new version of them. If anything, you’ll get more for the premium package, not less.

Will the free features remain free?

Yes, with one exception: Currently, in Scenic 2, on-screen (not voice) turn-by-turn instructions are free. In Scenic 3 these will only be available to Premium users. Non-premium users will get ‘follow-the-line’ guidance only (i.e. line is drawn on map to visually follow).

How can I get it?

Scenic 3 is pushed as an update through the App Store, just like a regular update from, for example, Scenic 2.3.0 to 2.3.1. So, if you have auto app updates turned on in your iCloud settings it will update automatically. If not, you’ll have to manually go to the Scenic App Store page and update form there.

What’s the minimum iOS version for Scenic 3?

Scenic 3 will run on iOS14 and up, meaning it will run on iPhone 6s and up (check here for max iOS version per device). If you have devices not capable of running iOS14 you will still be able to run Scenic 2. Scenic 2 will sync with Scenic 3. It runs on the same database. So if you have two or more devices and one of them is running Scenic 2 and the other one is running Scenic 3, your data will sync. There is one catch though: since Scenic 3 will use a different map provider and different routing engine, it’s possible your routes will be calculated differently on the two devices. This can’t be controlled unfortunately. My recommendation therefore is to use the same Scenic version for planning as well as navigation.

Can I go back to Scenic 2 if I don’t like Scenic 3?

I’m afraid Apple’s App Store doesn’t allow rolling back. The App Store will always give you the latest available version that runs on your device. So you can only upgrade, not downgrade. Scenic 3 is the natural next iteration of Scenic 2. Scenic 3 will continue evolving with new functions and features, while Scenic 2 will stay as is. 

I realize that Scenic 3 is a big change from Scenic 2, and that it will take some getting used to. But in the long run, I believe this  was necessary to position Scenic for the future. Especially the maps, new routing engine and the navigation are much better than Scenic 2. Take it for a spin if you have the chance and you will hopefully see what I mean.

Can I mix versions?

In other words, use Scenic 2 on one device and Scenic 3 on another (with the same account)? Yes you can, but there’s a culprit: Scenic 2 and 3 work on the same database (unlike Scenic 1), so your data will sync. But, there is a difference in map data and routing engine. Because of this, routes created in Scenic 2 might be a bit different in Scenic 3 (take different roads). For routes with many via points the chance of differences is low though.

Where are the Japan and China maps?

Unfortunately the new map provider has licensing restrictions for the Japan and China maps. I’m working with the provider to get a solution. Meanwhile I will make Scenic 2 temporarily available for Scenic users living in Japan and China. Check this forum thread for updates on this.